THE ROYAL Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service has welcomed 12 new full-time firefighters following a graduation ceremony last week.
Graduates attended the ceremony at Maidenhead Fire Station on Friday, June 20, where they were welcomed and congratulated by Mark Arkwell, Deputy Chief Fire Officer, and Councillor Paul Gittings, Vice-Chair of the Royal Berkshire Fire Authority.
During their training, the firefighter recruits took part in an apprentice tradition which saw them organise a fundraising challenge in aid of the Fire Fighters Charity.
In May, the cohort cycled the equivalent of the Three Peaks Challenge–approximately 485 miles–on static bikes at The Lexicon in Bracknell.
With their efforts and the generosity of supporters, they raised over £6,000 for the charity.
As well as graduating, the new firefighters gave a demonstration of the skills learned during their weeks of training.
This began with a combined hose pump ladder and breathing apparatus drill, which includes staging a rescue while working at height and extinguishing a fire– all while wearing heavy breathing apparatus.
They also performed a road traffic collision scenario which required them to work together to extricate a ‘casualty’ that was trapped in a car.
During the ceremony, two special awards were presented by Deputy Chief Fire Officer Mark Arkwell.
Firefighter Shannon D’Cruz was bestowed the Endeavour Award for showing great dedication and commitment to self-improvement, and demonstrating admirable determination when learning new skills.
The Silver Axe Award was presented to Firefighter Ryan Evans for best overall performance in this year’s consolidation course, showing a strong sense of leadership that has continued to grow and develop.
The graduates have now joined their new watches at fire stations across the county to continue their development.
Mark Arkwell, Deputy Chief Fire Officer, said: “I felt incredibly privileged to formally welcome our 12 newest Wholetime Firefighters into the Service.
“After months of hard work and dedication during their training course, the Graduation Ceremony is an excellent way to celebrate their achievements and mark the beginning of their journey with us in keeping the communities of Berkshire safe.”
Councillor Paul Gittings, Vice-Chair of the Royal Berkshire Fire Authority said: “I was delighted to welcome the latest cohort of Firefighters to Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service.
“They join a team of supportive, resilient and highly-skilled colleagues, and I have no doubt that the Graduates will continue to develop their capabilities and deliver excellent service to residents across the county.”
More information about becoming a firefighter is available via: rbfrs.co.uk/careers
